Rejected
by MistressAli
Summary: Hey all, remember the story 'Pine Away? Well... I did a follow-up to it. Yay, right? 3 days have passed since Robotnik 'confessed', but what does Snively think of the whole thing? Read n' see....


Rejected  
By MistressAli  
The characters, places and such here are (c) Sega, Archie and DIC and are used without permission!

Well, for those of you who liked or hated 'Pine Away', here is a 'sorta' follow-up story! Oh joy, eh? I kinda liked that story just as its own piece, but I wanted to write about these 2 again, so...

I was really stuck on the ending for a while (knew what I wanted to do, but not quite how to pull it off, ya know?) So read, and by all means (pretty pretty please?) tell me what you think  
This story is rated PG-13 because there are some naughty words in it, and some people might be disturbed by the 'lovey-dovey' stuff. Teehee!

______Rejected______

His lips.

That was all Robotnik could see as Snively stood before him, talking. A report on factories it seemed. How their outputs had decreased in efficiency.

How they had *felt*.

Factories? They seemed a far-off care; those red-on-black eyes focused so firmly on those nervous lips.... how the lower one was trembling.

How they...

He licked his own lips, and there was a pause in the speaking. Snively was silent, his eyes wide. A hunted deer. There was a predator in Robotnik's eyes.

Robotnik leaned forward, rasping a command. "Come here..."

Snively opened his mouth as if to protest, but the command was growled again, and he forced himself to move right up to the throne.

'*Not again*'

The words flashed through Snively's head. He'd heard them three days ago. They had struck his heart like a barbed arrow, sticking there. He was afraid to pull it out and look, afraid to really accept that three-letter phrase. And he was afraid now, to obey, but what could he do? When Uncle commanded...

Robotnik smiled softly as his nephew, that slight slip of a man, settled his tiny body right on his massive knees.

"Good, Snively," said Robotnik, his voice barely above a whisper.

Snively cocked his head, giving Robotnik a look one would give something curious, yet unpleasant, like a spider eating a butterfly.

"What sir..." Snively was surprised at the edge in his voice. It held back the trembling like a dam. He was surprised he could hold that trembling back, because the arrow in his heart didn't bring bliss like Cupid's arrow should. It brought confusion, like too much wine.

And it brought fear.

"...do you wish of me..?"

His body shook even though his voice didn't. A demure smile was splayed on his uncle's face, as out of place as a tree growing in the middle of a highway. It didn't look right.

"Just let me look at you, Snively." Robotnik's hand, the organic one, touched on his chin, gripping softly.

There were no bruises or black eyes on that pale face. No, Uncle hadn't raised a hand to him since *that* day.

In a way, that made Snively more afraid. He was silent as his uncle tilted his face this way and that, all the while his cybernetic eyes boring deep into his.

He wondered what Uncle saw. Surely not a pitiful moron anymore? He shivered in the large man's grip, pale blues shutting, trying to block that scrutinizing gaze.

The wondrous orbs had shut, so Robotnik shifted his gaze back to Snively's lips. They were still trembling. He laid a gloved finger on them.

Snively made a small sound, a puppy's whimper, squeezing his eyes shut tighter. His body tensed on Robotnik's legs. Expecting it. Fearing it.

The finger removed, Robotnik leaned forward more, pulling his nephew closer by the shoulders.

His lips. How they had felt. How they had *tasted*.

He pressed his mouth to the younger man's.

Soft. They felt soft.

Taste.

Snively whimpered into his mouth, his eyes flying wide open. His tiny hands clutched at Robotnik's chest, pushing slightly.

They tasted like...cinnamon?

There was a pile of wrappers near his nephew's spot at the control console. Snively ate candy a lot. Cinnamon candy, today...

It tasted lovely. Robotnik tried to remember what he himself had eaten. Did it taste good? Snively was making a weird choked noise, his eyes were sorta glassy, like they were filled with water.

He drew his mouth away.

Snively drew in a breath, looking away. His cheeks were flaring pink. After a moment, he stole a look at his uncle's face.

Robotnik found himself blushing too. This was still difficult for him. Three days ago he had launched a confession. He had admitted something his brain had denied for so long, but his heart never would let go entirely.

Yes, he had a heart, underneath all the darkness. In a way, he hated to admit that. But suffering in silence one more day seemed worse than the burning of the exposing light.

"Sir..." Snively's hand tightened again on Uncle's chest, trying to turn his face away before those lips met his again, but only a muffled 'no' escaped before he was being kissed again. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to float away from it. But he could feel the warm wetness of the other mouth on his. Hear a faint pleased growl.

Uncle was enjoying this.

They pulled away again, and Robotnik grasped his nephew's face in both hands, locking him in a piercing stare.

His uncle didn't taste like anything. Just like this 'love' didn't mean anything. Snively narrowed his eyes. This was just another way to *control* him, right? "Sir." he said, and that edge was back in his voice again, the edge that hadn't been there for years and years, only heard occasionally in muttered comments. "Why are you doing this?"

"I told you why...before..." His uncle's cheeks were red, but not in his usual anger. He just wanted Snively to *understand*. To accept it.

Those eyes narrowed further. In those blue depths, something dangerous was lurking. Something getting lured to the surface by the blood in his uncle's cheeks and the gentleness in his voice. He was *vulnerable*. He was not right.

But Uncle had never been right!

Uncle was pulling him again, trying to reel him in, his pretty fish, trying to land that elusive kiss on his lips again. Nephew's teeth bared, and Julian flinched, feeling hard enamel against his mouth, instead of the yielding softness of lips. Snively growled, an unusual sound from him, but there were many things about him Julian never knew, or heard.

"Sir..." His voice came out hissing, and he pulled his face back, out of kiss-reach. "You can't do this."

"Why?" said Robotnik bluntly. "You don't understand how I feel... but you will...and you'll accept it."

Sudden outrage. Accept it? This was an issue of control then, and issue of dominance? No. Robotnik would not force him into submission on this...

"Like I accepted your slavery!?"

The fat man's mouth twisted in a scowl. "You were no slave. I fed you, clothed you, and gave you power, much more than that father of yours ever did."

"Hmmm..." And Snively looked away. Because he couldn't argue with that...

"Snively..." Said Robotnik, an urgent edge in his voice. "I will admit... and it is hard for me to admit..." His hands clamped on Snively's shoulders, and he marveled at just how large they looked. Then he shuddered, thinking. His hands looked so big, so capable of just crushing this tiny man before him. And they were.

And they had.

He never stopped to think, when he was in a rage, when he was seeing blue rodents everywhere, and tan squirrels and orange foxes and all those *animals* who loved to humiliate him... he never stopped to think how devastating that solid fist was when it swung and connected with his nephew's stomach, his face, his chest.

He hadn't always heard the screaming. He hadn't always heard the breaking.

He cursed his rage now, his blatant disregard for this delicate being, this frail bird.

"...I hurt you, Snively, I treated you with total disrespect, I was blind, and I..." He was silent. His hands drifted off the shoulders, and for a moment he just ran fingers down the skinny man's chest, as if in a trance. His eyes were locked on the winking gold buttons on Sniv's gray uniform shirt.

Snively shuddered, wanting to clasp his arms around his chest. The fingers were making his skin crawl. Then suddenly, Robotnik clutched him and drew him close to his chest, hugging him fiercely. He gasped, barely able to breathe in such a firm grip.

He felt lips on his head, kissing, and hot breath muttering, "...I'm sorry."

His eyes widened and he drew in a painful breath. "You're sorry...?" he whispered. "You're sorry...?"

"I am..." Robotnik mummered. "I am. I am..." He hugged the small man closer, trying to make him *feel* just how regretful he was, trying to force the feeling out through his pores and into the other. Oh, Snively had to feel it. He had to know...

Snively's shoulders shook. 'He's crying...' Robotnik thought, eyes closing. 'He knows... he will forgive...'

Those shoulders shook more, and then, crawling out of his throat like a stampede of ants, and just as biting, the *laugh*.

It made Julian's heart jerk hard in his chest, like a knife had stabbed it.

"SORRY!?" Snively wrenched back hard, nearly falling off Julian's lap. Now he was grabbing Julian, hands hard on his shoulders. His pointed nose brushed the other man's. "SORRY!? After all these years Julian all you can say is sorry... you're fucking sorry..."

Uncle didn't like to curse. He thought it was uncouth. And Snively had come to him initially with a mouth full of fresh vocabulary, and so many insults that daddy had belted him with. He'd stopped cussing after a few months. One 'fuck' was worth three cheap shots to the belly, it seemed...

But the word went unnoticed, as Robotnik's eyes locked with his and his large body quivered. "It's all I can say, Snively... I know it's not enough..."

"Not nearly..." His gaze was downcast, almost blurry as he stared down at the yellow cross on Uncle's outfit. "Not nearly enough..."

One hand caressed his chest; the other ran down one cheek, tenderly. "It has to be...Snively...it's all I have..." A quiet moan escaped him, aching, and he drew the tiny one against his chest again. A mustache touched one shoulder; a mouth was at a neck, laying kisses.

Another moan, but this time from Snively, his eyes squeezing shut again. Oh *god*. He wanted to struggle, but fear had caught up with him again, rendering him motionless, only his hands clenched down into the depths of uncle's red uniform.

He moaned again. His stomach was fluttering in some damn strange ways and his entire frame was shaking. Uncle was kissing his *neck*. He was sucking and nibbling and slobbering all over his neck.

"Sir..." He whimpered, opening his eyes, trying to see Julian's eyes, but that was impossible. "Sir, stop..."

Julian finally drew away. Snively sat up, shivering, one hand going to his neck and wiping, trying to erase that touch. "Sir..." A familiar ploy... pouting lip and puppy-dog eyes, silently begging Robotnik to let him down. He could make him do reports. He could make him clean toilets. He could raise his fist and break his ribs like he had so many times before. Drowning in agony and choking up his own sweet blood seemed better than this... the lingering touch on his flesh and the strange prickling in his belly.

He'd never been touched like that before. And not by his own family. And certainly not by a *man*.

His neck. Julian heaved a sigh. Oh, Snively was scared, but his neck... it had tasted so clean, so... alive.

But he'd never touched anyone like that before. And certainly not his own family, and even odder, and almost shamefully (bright blush ripped over his whole face) a *man*.

A sudden thought. Bad. Bad! Robotnik almost slapped himself. Snively was pouting, trying the old pitiful look. It had never seemed to break Robotnik out of his rages, and it didn't seem to be enough to break this mood settling over him now. If anything, that full pouty lip and shimmering eyes, only heightened it. Made him crave more and the thought struck again.

How does the rest of him taste?

'What twisted thoughts these are'...he mused... eyeing the tiny man. Days ago, before the broken denial, he would've considered these thoughts the sickest of sick, but suddenly it seemed totally natural. To convey his love through kissing and touching, to bring pleasure to them both, wasn't that what loved ones did?

Snively was limp, trembling in fright, because Robotnik was grabbing him again, embracing. He let out a tiny whimper, just before his lips were captured again by uncle's mouth. That mouth that had screamed he was an incompetent idiot. It wanted to love him now. His legs felt so weak; good thing he wasn't standing. His arms were limp at his sides. He wished they were strong, so he could push Julian away.

Those gloved hands that had caused so much harm were gentle now. Stroking his chest. Rubbing his head. Caressing his back.

Snively moaned. That didn't feel too bad. Almost soothing. His weak fists clenched. This was not good! This was the epiphany of bad.

His lips. They were soft. They tasted so good, like cinnamon. He got lost in it all, the wet spit, the smooth tongue. Julian had red cheeks and his heart was half-and-half divided, one part raging love and intense need, the other part shame, his old self, his hatred and anger and want for power. But oh! Wasn't giving in to that needy half a sort of power? Sages had always spoken of the power of love, right? Like it transcended all things earthy, extending beyond death and all the way to the end of time?

That couldn't be true. It wasn't true. Love was like trees, seemingly strong and sturdy, and sometimes it stood until death, and for centuries. But sometimes it rotted, or got knocked over by winds. It all depended on circumstance...

So love will endure in the right surroundings? They could endure here then. All alone, fighting their common enemy. They could give each other strength like never before. He understood Sonic now, a little bit at least. He understood why Sonic always carried the princess so close to his heart when he raced through the city with her in his arms...

Snively jerked as if burnt. Julian's hands, those leather gloved hands, had lighted on his bent knees. And now they were going up, and he whimpered, jerking again, because Julian couldn't, he wouldn't, he wouldn't dare?

Oh, but his stomach was churning like nausea, but not exactly sick. Uncle's hands were daring. They were on his thighs. They were going upwards. And they passed over the forbidden area, fingers trailing. Only a moment's touch, but it was enough to make strength return and Snively wrenched back hard. Lip contact was broke and they both panted for air.

"NO! NO!" NO no no no!" Snively's voice was higher than usual, panicked. "What are you doing?!"

Robotnik smiled softly. His eyes were suddenly locked on Snively's little hands, clutched in his uniform. He wished they would move, stroke over him like his hands had... He suddenly craved that touch more than anything, more than even the death of blue hedgehogs and tan squirrels...

Snively was still alarmed, his eyes wide. "You can't touch me there. You can't. You can't."

"Shush..." Robotnik laid a hand on his lips. "I won't. I won't. Calm down."

A deep breath was taken and the tiny man calmed slightly, but his body still shivered. His arms clasped around his chest, hugging. "You did." He accused.

"I'm sorry then," Robotnik suddenly smiled, but refrained from adding his hand slipped, because that would just piss his nephew off. His half-and-half heart was almost whole now. He was so filled with LOVE! Snively's face was confused and scared and angry, and oh so cute, and he just wanted to... have those feelings returned! Have Snively feel the same adoration! He suddenly didn't care who this was. What gender, what relation, what rank, what anything...

This was a power of a different sort. It was raw and unbridled and he wanted...no, needed... to throw it around like confetti.

Snively whimpered. "I want to get down now. Please let me get down." He was shivering, drawing in hard breaths. For some reason the prickling in his stomach had intensified and little bolts of lighting were shooting down his spine.

Robotnik couldn't bear to let him go. "In a moment. Just...let me look at you..."

"You already have!" Snively snapped, the tears slipping out of his eyes. It wasn't even part of his pity act. He was scared, really scared. He couldn't understand Julian. He had learned to understand the rages, to anticipate them, anticipate the fear and accept it, even accept the pain...

But this was unacceptable.

"I feel care for you, Snively..." Julian's voice was low, like he didn't want anyone else to hear. "I have affection for you. I always have, but I denied it. And through my anger for the animals and through the pain of denial I hurt you, and now I am full of more regret than you'll ever know. I just want to..."

Snively stared at him, raising one hand to wipe his cheeks.

"...love you. Like I should've. I only wanted to get you away from HIM, Snively."

"You did..." Snively said, voice going soft. "You got me away... but then you turned around and you became him. Julian, you became my father..." he shut his eyes tight. "No. You were worse..."

Robotnik raised a hand, lighting it on Snively's chest. "I'm so sorry for that..."

Snively cast blue eyes down at that hand, nervous, then back to Julian. "Please..."

Robotnik curled that hand gently around one of Snively's tiny shoulders. "I did so much wrong Snively... but let us make it right now... I won't ever hurt you again..." His eyes were locked on those lips again, and he went to plant a kiss there, to reassure him, to help soothe him.

Snively planted a hand directly on Robotnik's face, and shoved. The fat man gasped.

"NO!" His teeth bared in a snarl. "Don't kiss me, Julian! Don't touch me...I don't want it.... You don't deserve to!"

He tried to slide off the man's knees, but Julian caught him by the arm, holding him back.

"No, Snively...please...don't..."

"No Julian...!!" Tears broke without warning, but Snively was tired of trying to hold back, be polite for Uncle's twisted sakes. "Isn't it enough you've taken my *pride*? My life!? My will to live, any scrap of happiness I might've had, isn't it enough?!"

He pulled at that hand, trying to break free. Robotnik's face was stricken. Everything was falling apart...

"Or do you have to take my body now, too?! Not enough to break it, you have to defile it too..." His eyes narrowed, all traces of puppy were gone, this was full-grown dog now, caged, and mean. "The last step before you'll have full control?!"

"No...Snively...I just want... to love you..."

"Let go!" Snively let out a snarl, tugging hard.

He broke free, and to the floor he went, standing, one finger accusingly aimed at Uncle's face, it's drooping lip and red-on-black eyes brimming with pain. "This isn't LOVE, Julian, this is sick, and even if I..."

He shivered, clasping arms around himself again, because Julian was rising, interrupting. "Snively, please... try to understand."

"Oh...I understand, Julian." The tiny human stopped shivering. It was sudden, like a car turning off. Blue eyes lifted, furious. "You think... by doing this..." he swallowed, "...touching me...you're getting something? Huh? You think that's LOVE!?" A sudden smile cast a shadow over that pale face. "Wrong..."

Robotnik stood before him, staring down. His mustache was quivering. And in his eyes, something rare glimmered.

"I'm going to tell you something Julian, I bet you never knew... You NEVER had ANYTHING from me. You never had my *respect*. You hurt me, you broke me, but I never once *respected* you!" He spat, snarling like an angry dog. "And this is the same Julian, you can... you can do whatever you want...whatever sick thing you want...but..."

Robotnik's mustache quivered above a quivering lip, and the tears trembled dangerously in his eyes. How long had it been since he'd spilled one? He'd never seen such anger before, such defiance. He never knew his nephew was that strong. His lips, those sweet soft lips, weren't trembling anymore. His eyes were cold as stone, and his mouth spoke the words that ripped Robotnik's neglected heart into fragments.

His sweet beloved, with those smoldering eyes and soft lips told him the one thing Julian would never get. And he felt the tears fall; his life was gone. The sudden hope he'd had was gone. His heart was more than halves now, it was quartered, no, it was minced into bloody paste inside his chest. Rejection was the sword that shredded.

He'd bared his soul. He'd confessed his denial. He'd tried to show this tiny man how sorry he was. He tried to show him his LOVE, in the only ways he knew, and the only ways he'd read, the ways he'd seen Sonic and Sally do on surveillance, the ways his own treacherous father had never done to his mother.

And it was all for naught, and he wanted to retreat back into the darkness and let it fill in this gaping hole that the confession had opened, wanting to be filled by returned affection and warmth in his nephew's smile.

Rejection was the sword that killed.

The words rang again, firm, resolved, and stronger than the metal of the city around them. It thrummed through walls, through bones.

"You'll never have my love."

**


End file.
